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|| SportsShooter.com: News Item: Posted 2008-04-29Winning Moments: Best Sports Picture Story: 'Sumo Boys'
'Eye candy is entertaining for a second or two then it leaves a whole in your teeth and nothing for the brain.'

By Steven Achiam

Photo by Steven AchiamSumo Boys

(Editors Note: We asked those awarded 1st place in the Sports Shooter Newsletter Annual Contest to write a short piece to give us a behind-the-scenes look at what went into their winning entry. To see all of the winners in this years contest, check this link: http://www.sportsshooter.com/2007_contest_winners/index.html.)

About editing a sports story with photojournalistic eyes: Let me tell you that I don't see myself as a sports photographer but I entered the competition as a photojournalist telling a story in a sports environment.

Therefore the editing of the series is focused on the athlete's background instead of what would be considered amazing sport images. In fact there is only one image with contact and this is enough for me, maybe sports enthusiasts demand more, but what I'm trying to communicate is the struggle or a mental state for each and everyone of these boys.

By telling what I'm about to say there is a great chance I will never be allowed in any sports photographer circles again, but I think sports photography tend to be black and white, for example victory or defeat or fall into the category "Wow check it out".

Eye candy is entertaining for a second or two then it leaves a whole in your teeth and nothing for the brain. Maybe it's me who doesn't belong in sports photography. Anyway that is my personal view and I would like to hear from readers or photographers who have an opinion on this.

In this photo competition there were room for ten images and I think we as storytellers, be it sport or conflict stories we want to tell, need to make room for images that expand our view, rather than confirm what we already know. In this case the images that were left out were the so-called cool wrestling shots.

We need to capture our audience and make them think about what they are looking at and so I've edited from a point of view where I hope to ask questions with my images.

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